Airplane



w. B. STOUT AIRPLANE Aug. 14, 1923. 1,464,670

File diMarch 2, 1918 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Au 14, 1923. mam

W. B. STOUT AIRPLANE Filed March 2, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iggfiija; Vim/W ATTORNEY Patent Aug. M, 192.

WILL B. STOUT, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNbR TO PACKARD moron one COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MIOHIGAN, A QORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

Martens.

Application filed March 2, 1918. Serial No. 220,069.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. STOUT, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, Wayne County, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airplanes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to airplanes and more particularly to a control mechanism therefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism which will permit one type of actuating device to be substituted for another with a minimum amount of labor and without requiring any alteration in the length of the operating wires. Another object is to provide an improved column control. Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the description taken in connection with the drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an airplane equipped with my improved control and column actuating device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view to a larger scale showing my improved column actuating device and the associated connections;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2, certain parts being shown in section;

Figure 4 is a View imilar to Figure 2 illustrating my control provided with a stick control interchangeable with the column control of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modified arrangement of my improved column control.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the control mechanism which constitutes the subject matter of this invention comprises a rock shaft rotatably mounted in bearings 11 and 12 carried by the fuse lage of the airplane. This rock shaft is preferably tubular and at its opposite ends has rigidly attached thereto the double arms 13 and 14. The arms 13 at their op osite ends have connectors 15 and 16 whic extend to the elevator 17 to operate the same. In the same manner the, arms 14 have the connectors 18 and 19 which operate the elevator.

The tubular rock shaft 10 is constructed so as to interchangeably receive any one of a plurality of types of actuating devices, which devices alsohave connections to operate the ailerons. For this purpose the shaft has it central portion formed with a vertically extending slot 21 and the two threaded holes 22 and 23 spaced a'slight distance from the respective ends of the slot. In Figures 2 and 3 I have shown the rock shaft as detachably provided with a column type of actuating device. This device comprises a vertical support 24 which is formed with the feet 25 and 26 adapted to be secured to the shaft by means of threaded cap screws 27 and 28 extending through the feet and threaded into the openings 22 and 23 respectively. The support 24 is hollow" and the opening in the lower end thereof is ar ranged to register with the slot 21 in the shaft. A lever 29 is pivoted at 30 within the support and extends downward through the'slot 21 and at the lower end thereof has the o positely extending connectors 30 and 31, w iich extend to operate the ailerons 32 and 33, said connectors being detachably sccured to sand lever 1n any suitable manner.

The lever 29 is mounted for swinging movement in a plane parallel with the axis of the rock shaft and to effect the swinging thereof its upper end is provided with a toothed segment 34 which meshes with a pinion 35 rotatively mounted at the upper end of the support 24 and arranged to be rotated manually by the hand wheel 36 mounted on the shaft 37 with the pinion.

In the operation of this form of control and actuating device the shaft 10 is rocked to actuate the elevator by the aviator merely swinging the hand wheel 36 towards or from himself. At the same time the aile ronsmay be actuated by revolving the hand wheel 36.

In Figure 4 I haveillustra-ted my control as having a stick actuating device substituted for the column actuating device of Figure 2. Thus the rock shaft 10 has mounted thereon a vertical support 38 which is substituted for the support 2 1 and secured to the shaft with the same cap screws 27 and 28. This support 38 is hollow and provided with a pin 39 on which is pivoted the actu- From the foregoing description it will be.

apparent that one type of actuating device, such as the column or Dep maybe substituted for another, such as the stick, merely by disconnecting the aileron wires and substituting one support with its associated parts for another. Thus an. airplane may be equipped very quickly and easily with the type ofcontrol with which the aviator is familiar. Furthermore, for purposes of instruction one type of actuating devic may besubstituted for another so that th e student will become familiar with the various types of control.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a modified arrangement of parts but provided with my improved column actuating device. In this form of construction a rock shaft 42 is rotatively mounted in the fuselage'of the airplane and at its opposite ends are the double arms 43 and 44, the arms 43 being connected to the elevator by means of the wires 45 and 46 and the arms 44 by means of the wires 47 and 48. Carried by the fuselage of the plane independently of the rock shaft 42 is a hollow support 49 which is mounted on the pivots 50 and 51 at its lower endfor swinging motion about an axis parallel to the axis of the shaft 42. The rock shaft is provided with a vertically extending arm 52 which is connected to the support 49 by means of a link. 53'so that the support and shaft 42 rock in synchronism with each other. The support carries a. lever 54 pivoted on a pin 55 for swinging movement in a lane parallel to the axis of the shaft 42. T is lever is similar to the lever 29 of the construction illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and at its upper end carries a' toothed segment 56 which meshes with a pinion 57 adapted to be rotated by the hand wheel 58. The lower end of the lever 54 has the aileron wires 30'and 31 attached thereto. In this form of the invention the elevator is operated by pushing. the hand wheel 58 towards and from the aviator to thereby rock the shaft 42 and the ailerons are controlled by rotating the said hand wheel.

Although I have described my control as adapted to interchangeably receive only two types of actuating devices yet it is obvious that the invention is not limited to these zwtcgdtypes but that others might be substi- Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 2- 1. In'an airplane, a control mechanism mcluding a rock shaft mounted in the fuselage having means secured to its ends for actuating the elevator, a substantially vertical support detachably secured to the said shaft intermediate its ends, a lever pivoted to said support for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the shaft having a part extending below the shaft and detachable connections from the lower end of the lever to the aileronsr I 2. In an airplane, a control mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the fuselage having -means for-actuating the elevator when the shaft is rocked, and a plu-' rality of different devices adapted to be interchangeably secured to the said shaft for effecting a rocking movement of the same and for controlling the ailerons.

3. In an airplane, a control mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the fuselage .having connections to the elevator to actuate the latter when the shaft is rocked, a plurality of supports adapted to be interchangeably secured to said shaft, and means for controlling the ailerons carried by said supports.

' 4. In an airplane, a control mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the fuselage having connections to the elevator to actuate the latter when the shaft isrocked, a support, a lever pivoted to the support for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the shaft having connections to the ailerons, and means forswinging the lever including'a pinion carried by the said support and a toothed segment on the lever in mesh with the pinion.

5. In an airplane, in combination, steering devices, a control mechanism for said devices including a rock shaft member, a plurality of supports adaptedto be interchangeably secured to said member, a lever member carried by each of said supports, one 'of' the shaft or lever members having connectors to actuate one part of the steering devices, and the other member having connections to actuate another part of the steering devices.

6. In an airplane, a control mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the fuselage having connections to the elevator, one of a plurality of interchangeable supports detachably connected with the shaft to rock III therewith, and a lever pivoted on said sup- I eeemo said support for swinging movement in a plane parallel tothe axis of the shaft and. having connections to the ailerons, and means for swinging said lever including a 5 pinion carried by the support and a toothed segment on the lever in mesh With the pin- 8. In an airplane, apparatus of the character described comprising a rock shaft, and connections from said shaft to actuate flight 10 governing means of the plane, said shaft constructed and azranged to interchangeably support a stick or Dep control.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM B. STOUT. 

